MPs query State House’s Shs 93Bn request for presidential donations, campaign cars
Members of Parliament on the Budget Committee have raised concerns over a request by State House for Shs83.033 billion to facilitate presidential donations and Shs10 billion for the purchase of vehicles for President Museveni’s 2026 campaign activities.
The request was presented by Alex Byarugaba, Chairperson of the Presidential Affairs Committee, who emphasised the need to address a Shs30 billion funding gap for pending presidential pledges.
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Byarugaba warned that unfulfilled pledges negatively impact the image of the President as the "Fountain of Honour."
“State House requires Shs83.033Bn to facilitate payment of pending donations, but only Shs53.033Bn is provided for in the MTEF ceiling, leaving a funding gap of Shs30Bn. This is terrible. Many of our areas have pending presidential pledges that need to be fulfilled. It is important this funding is prioritized,” Byarugaba said.
On the additional Shs10 billion for campaign vehicles, Byarugaba argued that the current fleet is aging, with rising maintenance costs, and that the funds would support the President’s movements during a busy election season and monitoring of the Parish Development Model (PDM).
However, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, MP for Kira Municipality, criticised the inclusion of campaign-related expenses in the national budget, arguing it blurred the line between state and party activities.
“You can’t justify buying vehicles for NRM campaigns and put it in the national budget. The President is not an extension worker to monitor sugarcane and banana plantations. This is ridiculous,” Ssemujju said, referencing the President’s recent public appearances promoting agricultural projects.
Byarugaba defended the allocation, citing State House’s constitutional mandate to support the Presidency under Articles 98 and 99 of the Constitution.
“He remains a President whether during campaigns or not and must be facilitated. We should not have a President traveling in ramshackle vehicles. We must secure him and his family,” Byarugaba argued.
The budget committee is yet to decide on the proposal as MPs continue to debate its justification and broader implications for public resource allocation ahead of the 2026 general elections.
